कच्चिदत्र सुखा रात्रिस्तवास्मद्विषये गता । समग्रस्ते जन: कच्चिदातिथ्ये शंस मे ऽनघ ।। २.९२.
"Did you spend the night comfortably here in my hermitage? Is your entire company well? Tell me, blameless one, if you found the hospitality satisfactory."
तमुवाचाञ्जलिं कृत्वा भरतो ऽभिप्रणम्य च । आश्रमादभिनिष्क्रान्तमृषिमुत्तमतेजसम् ।। २.९२.
Bharata, bowing deeply with joined palms, spoke to the sage of supreme brilliance, who had come out of his hermitage.
सुखोषितो ऽस्मि भगवन् समग्रबलवाहन: । तर्पित: सर्वकामैश्च सामात्यो बलवत्त्वया ।। २.९२.
"Revered one, I, along with my entire army and attendants, have rested well and have been satisfied in every way by your hospitality."
अपेतक्लमसन्तापा: सुभिक्षा: सुप्रतिश्रया: । अपि प्रेष्यानुपादाय सर्वे स्म सुसुखोषिता: ।। २.९२.
"Freed from fatigue and distress, well-provided with food and shelter, even our servants, without exception, have all been most comfortably accommodated."
आमन्त्रये ऽहं भगवन् कामं त्वामृषिसत्तम । समीपं प्रस्थितं भ्रातुर्मैत्रेणेक्षस्व चक्षुषा ।। २.९२.
"O revered sage, I now take my leave. Please, with your friendly gaze, look upon me as I set out to approach my brother."
आश्रमं तस्य धर्मज्ञ धार्मिकस्य महात्मन: । आचक्ष्व कतमो मार्ग: कियानिति च शंस मे ।। २.९२.
"O knower of righteousness, tell me which path leads to the hermitage of that righteous and great-souled one, and how far it is."
इति पृष्टस्तु भरतं भ्रातृदर्शनलालसम् । प्रत्युवाच महातेजा भरद्वाजो महातपा: ।। २.९२.
Thus questioned by Bharata, who longed to see his brother, the great ascetic Bharadvāja, endowed with immense energy, replied.
भरतार्द्धतृतीयेषु योजनेष्वजने वने । चित्रकूटो गिरिस्तत्र रम्यनिर्दरकानन: ।। २.९२.
"At a distance of two and a half yojanas in the uninhabited forest lies the mountain Citrakūṭa, with its delightful, uninterrupted woods."
उत्तरं पार्श्वमासाद्य तस्य मन्दाकिनी नदी । पुष्ऺिपतद्रुमसञ्छन्ना रम्यपुष्पितकानना ।। २.९२.
"On its northern side flows the Mandākinī river, shaded by blossoming trees and beautiful with flowering groves."
अनन्तरं तत्सरितश्चित्रकूटश्च पर्वत: । तयो: पर्णकुटी तात तत्र तौ वसतो ध्रुवम् ।। २.९२.
"Beyond that river stands Mount Citrakūṭa; at the foot of both, dear one, is their leaf-hut, where surely the two reside."
दक्षिणेनैव मार्गेण सव्यदक्षिणमेव वा । गजवाजिरथाकीर्णां वाहिनीं वाहिनीपते । वाहयस्व महाभाग ततो द्रक्ष्यसि राघवम् ।। २.९२.
O noble leader of armies, drive your force—filled with elephants, horses, and chariots—by the southern road, or by the left or right path; then you will see Rāghava.
प्रयाणमिति तच्छ्रुत्वा राजराजस्य योषित: । हित्वा यानानि यानार्हा ब्राह्मणं पर्य्यवारयन् ।। २.९२.
Hearing the call to depart, the royal women, though worthy of carriages, left their vehicles and surrounded the brāhmaṇa.
वेपमाना कृशा ऺदीना सह देव्या सुमित्रया । कौसल्या तत्र जग्राह कराभ्यां चरणौ मुने: ।। २.९२.
Trembling, emaciated, and miserable, Kausalyā, together with Queen Sumitrā, grasped the sage's feet with both hands.
असमृद्धेन कामेन सर्वलोकस्य गर्हिता । कैकेयी तस्य जग्राह चरणौ सव्यपत्रपा ।। २.९२.
Kaikeyī, shamed and despised by all for her unfulfilled desire, took his feet with embarrassment.
तं प्रदक्षिणमागम्य भगवन्तं महामुनिम् । अदूराद्भरतस्यैव तस्थौ दीनमनास्तदा ।। २.९२.
Having circumambulated the venerable great sage, she stood not far from Bharata, her heart weighed down with sorrow.
तत: पप्रच्छ भरतं भरद्वाजो दृढव्रत: । विशेषं ज्ञातुमिच्छामि मातऽणां तव राघव ।। २.९२.
Then Bharadvāja, firm in his vows, questioned Bharata: 'I wish to know in detail about your mothers, O descendant of Raghu.'
एवमुक्तस्तु भरतो भरद्वाजेन धार्मिक: । उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा वाक्यं वचनकोविद: ।। २.९२.
Thus addressed by Bharadvāja, the righteous Bharata, expert in speech, replied with joined palms.
यामिमां भगवन् दीनां शोकानशनकर्शिताम् । पितुर्हि महिषीं देवीं देवतामिव पश्यसि ।। २.९२.
'Revered one, this sorrowful, grief-stricken, and emaciated lady whom you see is my father's chief queen, like a goddess.'
एषा तं पुरुषव्याघ्रं सिंहविक्रान्तगामिनम् । कौसल्या सुषुवे रामं धातारमदितिर्यथा ।। २.९२.
'This is Kausalyā, who gave birth to Rāma, the tiger among men, whose stride is like a lion's—just as Aditi bore the sustainer of all.'
अस्यावामभुजं श्लिष्टा यैषा तिष्ठति दुर्मना: । कर्णिकारस्य शाखेव शीर्णपुष्पा वनान्तरे ।। २.९२.
'Clinging to her left arm stands this dejected lady, like a branch of the karṇikāra tree bereft of flowers in the forest.'
एतस्यास्तु सुतौ देव्या: कुमारौ देववर्णिनौ । उभौ लक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्नौ वीरौ सत्यपराक्रमौ ।। २.९२.
'This queen has two sons, both resplendent as gods—Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna—heroes of true valor.'
यस्या: कृते नरव्याघ्रौ जीवनाशमितो गतौ । राजपुत्रविहीनश्च स्वर्गं दशरथो गत: ।। २.९२.
'For her sake, those tigers among men risked their lives, and Daśaratha, deprived of his sons, has gone to heaven.'
क्रोधनामकृतप्रज्ञां दृप्तां सुभगमानिनीम् । ऐश्वर्यकामां कैकेयीमनार्य्यामार्यरूपिणीम् ।। २.९२.
'Know Kaikeyī as my mother—angry, lacking wisdom, proud, thinking herself fortunate, craving power, ignoble though she appears noble.'
ममैतां मातरं विद्धि नृशंसां पापनिश्चयाम् । यतो मूलं हि पश्यामि व्यसनं महदात्मन: ।। २.९२.
'Know this mother of mine to be cruel and intent on evil, for I see her as the root of this great calamity for my father.'
इत्युक्त्वा नरशार्दूलो बाष्पगद्गदया गिरा । स निशश्वास ताम्राक्षो नाग: क्रुद्ध इव श्वसन् ।। २.९२.
Having spoken thus, the tiger among men, his voice choked with tears, sighed deeply, his eyes red like an enraged elephant.
भरद्वाजो महर्षिस्तं ब्रुवन्तं भरतं तथा । प्रत्युवाच महाबुद्धिरिदं वचनमर्थवत् ।। २.९२.
The great sage Bharadvāja, wise and discerning, addressed Bharata as he spoke thus, with meaningful words.
न दोषेणावगन्तव्या कैकेयी भरत त्वया । रामप्रव्राजनं ह्येतत् सुखोदर्कं भविष्यति ।। २.९२.
'Kaikeyī should not be blamed by you, Bharata; for Rāma's exile will bring about a happy outcome.'
देवानां दानवानां च ऋषीणां भावितात्मनाम् । हितमेव भविष्यद्धि रामप्रव्राजनादिह ।। २.९२.
'For gods, demons, and seers of purified souls, Rāma's exile here will indeed prove beneficial.'
अभिवाद्य तु संसिद्ध: कृत्वा चैनं प्रदक्षिणम् । आमन्त्र्य भरत: सेन्यं युज्यतामित्यचोदयत् ।। २.९२.
Having duly offered his respects and circumambulated him, Bharata then addressed the army, instructing them to prepare for departure.
ततो वाजिरथान् युक्त्वा दिव्यान् हेमपरिष्कृतान् । अध्यारोहत् प्रयाणार्थी बहून् बहुविधो जन: ।। २.९२.
Then, after harnessing splendid chariots adorned with gold, a great multitude of people, eager to set out, mounted them.